Falco Sult Accounts

for More With Sage 300 ERP

Midsized businesses throughout the Greater Puget Sound area can have all the expertise of a CFO without hiring one—by using Falco Sult & Company’s popular “Part-Time CFO Services.” Offering management advisory, business performance, and tax planning services, Falco Sult takes pride in focusing on people and relationships, rather than just numbers and historical financial information.

“We take a very active role in our clients’ businesses,” says Chris Falco, partner. “This lets us be much more than accountants and tax advisors. And it also explains why Sage 300 ERP* and the Sage Accountants Network have been so helpful to us.”

Early Adopters of Sage 300 ERP
Falco Sult & Company has been using Sage 300 ERP as its internal accounting software since 1988, when it was still a DOS-based program. The company runs everything on Sage 300 ERP, from the general ledger to generating financial statements for clients. “We really like the flexible reporting format provided by Sage 300 ERP,” says Falco. “The stability of the software has saved us a great deal of time over the years.”

The company also used Sage 300 ERP to develop its own business advisory suite to enhance consulting services. With Sage 300 ERP financial tools, Falco Sult takes information from the client’s general ledger, analyzes how well the firm is running, and helps forecast impacts of proposed changes. “The module generated $75,000 in additional fees for us within its first year,” says Falco. “Because it creates a desire in clients for more work from us, we predict that it will increase our profitability by 25 percent in just two or three years’ time.”

Success With the Sage Accountants Network
The company frequently recommends Sage 300 ERP to its clients. “We know first-hand how reliable the software is because we are using it ourselves,” Falco explains. “I appreciate the Sage 300 ERP approach, which protects the integrity of essential code, and lets users extract data easily for modification in other formats. This protects the integrity of the data from accidental modification.”

Back in DOS days, Falco Sult installed and set up Sage 300 ERP for clients. This became more complicated with the advent of Windows® and networked computing. Chris Falco considered building an infrastructure to offer computer consulting. Instead, he decided to stick with the firm’s core competencies in accounting and financial consulting. That meant that he needed a partner for Sage 300 ERP installation and support.

Challenge
Firm frequently recommended that its clients use Sage 300 ERP for robust accounting but did not have (or want) the infrastructure necessary for software sales, implementation, and support.

Solution
Sage Accountants Network provides an alliance with a local business partner for software expertise and technical assistance.

Results
Sage business partner improves company’s image with clients; offers seamless sales and support services; manages Falco Sult’s clients like its own.

Falco already had a strong relationship with his business partner, and turned to him for Sage 300 ERP support. By joining the Sage Accountants Network, he formalized this relationship and assured Falco Sult of a partner for sales and backup help with Sage 300 ERP—both internally and externally with clients on the software.

Cross-Referral Opportunities
The Sage Accountants Network is an innovative program that provides public accounting professionals with access to information, accounting and business management software, and support. It increases technology competency with low-cost education and discounted product offerings. Most importantly to Falco Sult, it also establishes an alliance with a local Sage business partner, who can offer technical assistance to Falco Sult’s clients.

“We bring business to our business partner, but they also bring business to us,” explains Falco. “They end up in a prospect’s office and discover a need for professional accounting services. That generates new business for us. We, on the other hand, perform business health check-ups for existing or new clients, and find that they’re ready for a good midrange accounting package for a multiuser environment. We’ll bring in our business partner for an analysis, and let them demonstrate how Sage 300 ERP can resolve the client’s unique issues.”

Triple Win Solution
Falco cites an instance where a large manufacturing firm was experiencing problems with its accounting software. “We came on the scene, and suggested Sage 300 ERP as an answer. They didn’t think it would work, as their operations included heavy inventory management and multiple warehouses. So our business partner joined us and demonstrated the sophisticated reporting capabilities of Sage 300 ERP, particularly in raw material, inventory, and warehouse management.

“The client adopted Sage 300 ERP, which was a win for everyone concerned,” he continues. “The manufacturer now has a powerful accounting system. Falco Sult has a grateful new client. So does his partner. And all of us are confident the client’s needs will be taken care of throughout the foreseeable future.”

In another example, a client was already on Sage 300 ERP, but it wasn’t working the way they wanted. Falco brought in his Sage Accountants Network business partner to see if the client needed new modules. Instead, the partner solved the issue with the client’s existing software. “They’re problem-solvers, not just installers,” Falco says.

Chris Falco believes that Sage 300 ERP and the Sage Accountants Network are important components in his firm’s growth. “Our business partner makes us look good. When we work together, it’s almost like we’re from the same organization. The service is seamless to our clients. And I can step away from the process and know that our partner will not drop the ball.”